This disclosure relates generally to a blade outer air seal and, more particularly, to enhancing the performance of a blade outer air seal and surrounding structures.
As known, gas turbine engines, and other turbomachines, include multiple sections, such as a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. Air moves into the engine through the fan section. Airfoil arrays in the compressor section rotate to compress the air, which is then mixed with fuel and combusted in the combustor section. The products of combustion are expanded to rotatably drive airfoil arrays in the turbine section. Rotating the airfoil arrays in the turbine section drives rotation of the fan and compressor sections.
A blade outer air seal arrangement includes multiple blade outer air seals circumferentially disposed about at least some of the airfoil arrays. The tips of the blades within the airfoil arrays seal against the blade outer air seals during operation. Improving and maintaining the sealing relationship between the blades and the blade outer air seals enhances performance of the turbomachine. As known, the blade outer air seal environment is exposed to temperature extremes and other harsh environmental conditions, both of which can affect the integrity of the blade outer air seal and the sealing relationship.